Jeanne's Story
by Riverine14
Summary: This is a story based on the character Jeanne from Black Dawn, the second book in the third volume of the Night World Series. What happens when Jeanne is a freed slave with no one to go back to and not one person to love her? Read to find out!
1. A Pleasent Tune

Hey, guys this is my first fanfic and I really want to know what you think. I'm hoping to get at least one review before I put the next chapter up. Although, I have no idea when that will be. I just got back from regional track last night and I'm also going to state, yay!, next week so I'm going to be pretty busy. I'll do the best I can though. I am also writing my own book, Heirs, which you can learn about at .com. If you're interested in it and want to read more please contact me in the appropriate place on my web site. I should be getting an option up to read more than just the prologue for people that are more interested. Oh, and as you can guess I don't own the Night World series – I just like to write about it. Enjoy and PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! I CAN'T BECOME A BETTER WRITER IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT IF I'M DOING IS ANY GOOD OR NOT!! Thanks! ~Riverine

Jeanne's Story

Chapter 1- A pleasant tune

The ceiling had 148 ceiling tiles. They stretched 4 wide and 37 long, a maze of black and white spotted squares. Jeanne was bored. No, more than that she was trying desperately to figure out what to do with her life.

Since Maggie and Delos had freed the slaves, Jeanne had thought, stupidly that she could just go home. Go home and see her family – something she had dreamed about since she had first been kidnapped when she was 14. So she had been excited, at first she had tried to find her parents. A couple of members of Circle Daybreak worked in the government with records of people and they had said that they'd be able to help Jeanne find them.

And they had found them for Jeanne alright. The bad part was that they were dead. Her mom and dad were dead. Her brother was dead. They had been killed in a freak car accident about a year after she'd been abducted. One of the witches had made her copies of the obituaries in the newspaper. Jeanne still had them and she looked at them from time to time, when she was lonely or she missed them.

Jeanne had been sad, but she hadn't given up yet. No, she'd still been hopelessly intoxicated by the promise of hope that Maggie had given her. Jeanne tried to find other members of her family. Aunts, uncles, grandparents even an estranged cousin, but there weren't any. Jeanne's parents had been orphan's themselves ironically, and had no idea who there relatives where, thus Jeanne had no way of contacting them. Jeanne was alone. She was alone as she stared up at 148 ceiling tiles in the small room the Circle Daybreak had given her. They'd given her a place to stay and food to eat since she didn't have anywhere to go.

Not that she wanted to stay here. Not that she wanted to be among the shapeshifters, and werewolves, and witches and worse – the vampires. Jeanne couldn't stomach it when Maggie was around Delos. They were hopelessly in love with each other, just like all the other soulmates, and they even kissed. Jeanne shuddered at the though of a vampires teeth that close to her skin. Maggie didn't seem to notice though and that was the problem – she couldn't understand why Jeanne was so intolerant of the Night World people. Maggie had gotten out early. She hadn't had to see what the werewolves and the shapeshifters and the vampires did to humans. She didn't understand. She never would. But Jeanne knew. She knew that she couldn't trust any of them. Even the ones who had been kind to her here at Circle Daybreak.

Jeanne sighed impatiently. There were several things that appealed to her – hunting vampires was one of them, but she knew that Circle Daybreak would never approve and she needed to be on their good side to still have someplace to stay and food to eat. Not only that but she just didn't have the skills to become a vampire hunter. Sure she knew a few tricks that she'd picked up when she was a slave, every female slave had, it was the only way they survived. The fact remained that she just didn't know enough to take on a vampire without getting her ass kicked. So who could teach her? Jeanne had already tried to get Keller, one of the elite teams that went searching for Wild Powers, to teach her but Keller had instantly refused her.

Keller had taken one look at her short halo of red hair and angry green eyes and refused.

"I won't teach you to kill a vampire when you're like this," she'd said shaking her long mane of black hair in a defiant no.

"Like what?" Jeanne had protested.

"What you want is revenge. You want revenge for what the vampires did to you as a slave. If I give you the skills to do that, you won't ever stop. This kind of revenge is all consuming. No matter how you try to stop yourself, you won't be able to. Eventually, you'll kill yourself either by taking on an opponent stronger than you or because you'll kill yourself on your own. I won't be responsible for that."

Then she'd walked away, leaving Jeanne clenching her fists so tightly she drew blood from her palms. Jeanne only found out later that Keller was a shapeshifter and even then, she'd scoffed at herself for stooping to ask one of Them.

Next, she'd gone to Rashel who had refused similarly as well. It was only after again, that I found out that she and Keller were sisters. I had balked at the though of going to Jezebel. She was one of Them – and the worst kind at that, even if she was only half a vampire. Jeanne had gone to a couple of the human's – the soulmates of Night World people but they hadn't known anything about fighting. She was stuck. What could she do? Jeanne was an outcast of outcasts, sullenly snapping at anyone and everyone who had tried to make friends. Eventually they'd stopped trying and she'd resigned myself to counting ceiling tiles in my room.

Jeanne put my hands behind my head and sighed once more. She was bored. It wouldn't be so bad if she had something to do in my room but the fact was she didn't. All that was there was the bed she was laying on and a small desk in the corner. Circle Daybreak was large enough, an old manor of one of the uppity vampires, and Jeanne had once thought of exploring it but had been too afraid to walk the halls along. Now though, she'd smuggled a wooden knife and a silver cross so I'd be protected from most of Them. They were both with her at all times, the cross around a chain on my neck and the small knife in my boot. Jeanne yawned and then got off the bed. She might as well explore the manor while she had the chance. Besides now was as good of time as any and at least I had protection now.

Jeanne checked both the cross and the knife, to reassure herself they were still there and then she slipped quietly over to her door and out into the corridor. There was no one there and after checking both sides Jeanne chose one and started walking, letting her feet carry her where they would. Jeanne lived in the newer part of Circle Daybreak headquarters. It was an addition to the manor, very new and only added on about a month before Maggie had freed the slaves thus stranding Jeanne here.

Her meandering took her past he non-descript modern hallways to the manor and old corridors touched with time and death. She walked slowly, looking in rooms and doors, curious but not curious enough to stop. At the end of the corridor she was walking in there was an archway that led to another corridor, this one much narrower and darker than the others. Jeanne hesitated, not all too willing to go into this dark corridor. She couldn't see where it led to and part of her balked at going into a dark and strange place but then the stronger part of herself pushed through. _Who's going to be there?_ She chided herself. _Besides, you have weapons and even if anyone is there you'll catch them by surprise and at least be able to injure them enough to get away._

Jeanne hesitated for a moment more, before pulling out a Bic lighter and flicking it once and then going through the corridor to give her some light. It was dirty, not clean as the others had been, with cobwebs and dust falling everywhere. The corridor itself was only about 20 feet long but it felt like an eternity. When she finally made it to the end, there was a stout wooden door, which was unusual for a vampire's manor. Jeanne turned the rusty handle and walked inside.

The room was small and what diluted light there was flooded the small room through a moss green curtain over a large window. Jeanne thought it was empty at first until she saw the piano. It was old and beautifully made. The grand piano was closed and it stood stoically and majestically silent in the small room. Jeanne smiled and walked over to it, lifting the top of it, and peering inside to see if the strings were still intact. Amazingly, as she shone her lighter over them, it appeared they were. Jeanne pulled out the bench and sat, a smile on her face, the first real authentic smile in a while, as she lifted the cover that concealed the row of black and ivory keys before me. Jeanne hesitated, her hand hovering and then went ahead and struck a C.

That one noise, that simple key, brought back memories rushing into her mind like a dam being unleashed. Her mother, who had the same straight red hair as Jeanne but with cool grey eyes, driving me to my first piano lesson, feeling nervous as she stared down at the many black and white keys before me as she could feel the people's stares on me waiting for me to play. The feeling of unrestricted joy as she mastered a particularly hard piano piece, that same feeling of outright joy as Jeanne felt the cool keys beneath my fingers and heard the music pouring into the world.

She placed my hands on the keys and hesitated. Could she still play? It had been so long… Was it possible that she could still do this? Could Jeanne really still make music? Her resolve solidified as she told herself, _You'll only know if you try._ Jeanne hesitated once more and then began playing.

At first, her fingers didn't quite know what to do. They stumbled over the keys as she tried to remember how to play her favorite song. But then as she let the music take me, they seemed to remember more and more and no longer did they stumble. Instead, they moved quicker, nimbly jumping over the keys and playing the notes perfectly. Jeanne smiled again. She could still do this. The music reached a climax, and her heart beat faster and then the music slowly went back down, inevitably to be ended as the music slipped back into the first memorable tune. And then she stopped playing, her hands still on the keys as she breathed hard, her heart pounding.

And then Jeanne nearly jumped out of her skin as a voice with a sharp menace immediately shocked me out of my brief moment of peace.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing here?"

_A/N : Okay, this is an updated version where I've fixed the stuff that was going back and forth between first and third person views… Otherwise it's the same… Sorry about that!! I write in a first person view but L.J. Smith writes in a third person and I kept forgetting that!! Tell me if I missed anything k? And as always REVIEW!!!!_


	2. Jump

Chapter 2 – Jump

I whirled, one hand flying to the knife concealed in my boot as I faced the speaker. It was a vampire, that I could immediately tell, tall with black hair that fell somewhat in his eyes which were an interesting shade of grey. They were lighter than my mother's eyes had been, closer to a dull black than gray. His face was angular, sharp and harsh. He had the ruthless look of someone that had been thorough a lot. His body was toned and he held himself like a predator – ready to attack anyone and anything that invaded his territory or threatened what he cared about. It startled me that as I realized this, I also found him endearingly handsome and intriguing because his eyes seemed to hold kind of sadness.

I backed myself around the side of the piano, my brilliant green eyes never leaving his face.

"What do you think you're doing here, little human?" he asked again.

I didn't answer him but I was frantically trying to think of a way to escape the room. I supposed I could go out the window, but I didn't know how high up the window was and I would probably cut myself on a lot of the glass unless I somehow managed to wrap the curtain around myself before I threw myself at the window. And even then, would I even manage to get to the window before the vampire? I hesitated inching towards the window.

The vampire made a move towards me, his hand outstretched and I froze in place my only source of protection clutched tightly in my hand.

He stopped moving towards me, his hands dropped defenselessly to his sides and his shoulders slumped, his head looking down in shame. I took the moment when he wasn't looking to move a little closer to the window.

The vampire, whoever he was, sighed and then said, "I'm sorry. I just heard the music and it startled me. I haven't ever heard anything quite like what you were playing and I was intrigued. I thought I was the only one who knew about this place and it made me angry that someone else could take advantage of it."

Here a brief would be smile flickered across his face.

"I'm not very good at sharing things. I'm sorry I startled you."

Still I said nothing. I was slowly, infinitesimally making my way closer to the window and my only hope of escape. _Please don't let him catch me,_ I prayed to myself. _Please let it only be a few feet to the ground._ I wouldn't survive more than a 10 or 15 feet drop.

He seemed to notice now that I wasn't reassured by what he'd said and that I was still trying to get the hell away from him.

He made a move as if to come forward again, but I froze, shrinking back against the wall.

"No, I'm not going to hurt you." He moved forward again and I brandished the wooden knife in my hand, warning him with my eyes.

"I won't hurt you," he said again. "I'm not going to try to do anything, I promise."

In spite of myself, I snorted. Like I would ever trust a vampire's word for anything.

His feet slid further along the floor, coming towards me always advancing.

I skipped the last few feet over to the window, one hand gripping the edge of the dusty olive green curtain. I tried to see out, to see how high up the window was, but I couldn't tell. My heart sank. Would I survive the jump?

The vampire came within a foot of me and my heart pounded.

He smiled at me – a heart breaking smile, a smile to make you trust him.

But I didn't.

I smiled back at him once, before twisting myself in the curtain and throwing myself out the window.

_Author's Note: I'd really like some reviews!!!! Please guys I need some encouragement!! It's fun to right and all, but if I don't get some reviews I'm going to have to go back to editing Heirs, my book, which is something I really don't want to do. Oh, and on the first chapter I tried to give you guys the website for my book, but I don't think it let me. Sooooo… If you guys want to know more about my book, then you'll just have to e-mail me and I'll give you it then? Okay? Do we have a deal? Please!!!!! READ AND __REVIEW!!! _


	3. Caught

Chapter 3 – Caught

The window broke almost instantly beneath my weight. The curtain that was wrapped around me snagged for a minute, but then it ripped away from the curtain rod, a sickening tearing sound like ripping a scream out of someone's throat – literally. Then Jeanne was in a free fall, the curtain whipping around her legs, like an excited child bouncing up and down. The knife was still clenched in her hand as she fell and she closed my eyes, peacefully. This was a good way to die wasn't it? Not at the mercy of someone else? At a time of her own choosing, not when some sick vampire decided he was hungry and sucked the life from my body? The wind blew her now shoulder length straight red hair around her smiling face and then abruptly Jeanne was being grabbed by something.

Something warm and soft but at the same time sinewy and strong had a hold of her. Jeanne was surprised. Was it an angel? Was she dead already? Jeanne paused for a brief moment to reflect on that. Death had been quick. She hadn't even noticed any pain. Jeanne opened her eyes but couldn't see anything but for the bright blinding light, so she closed them again. The angel was holding her cradling her, and then suddenly she was being swung up and set down. Jeanne smiled to herself. She was in heaven wasn't she? She had to be.

Someone gently brushed the hair that was in her face out of the way without touching her skin at all. And then she opened my eyes and realized that she wasn't in heaven. Instead, she was gazing up at storm gray eyes, eyes so dark they were almost black with flecks of darker colors in them. The eyes were deep and understanding with worry and fear. She blinked and suddenly she could hear again.

"…did you do that? What were you thinking? Are you crazy? Jumping out a window like that would kill you!"

Comprehension dawned on her then. Jeanne realized that she hadn't died. She hadn't died because the vampire had saved her, jumped after her in the split second it took for her to throw her weight out the window, and caught her before she could fall to her death.

Jeanne blinked several times.

"Are you okay? You're not cut or anything are you?"

She suddenly realized that the vampire was still holding her and scrambled out of his arms before he could stop her. Then Jeanne kind of half jumped slash walked over to the corner of the piano, the olive curtain dragging behind her where she sat with her back against the leg. Her heart was pounding and she was breathing hard as she eyes the vampire warily.

He simply held up his arms and looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"What did I do?"

Jeanne found her voice for the first time since she had first seen him. "Stay away from me. Don't come near me." Jeanne was very proud – her voice didn't shake once.

She brandished the knife again, which she had amazingly managed to keep clenched in her hand the entire time.

He looked at her confused again and stood, crossing his arms.

"I'm not going to do anything to you. I wouldn't have saved you from jumping out the window if I'd intended to kill you."

She didn't say anything; she just continued to watch him like a frightened cat.

The vampire sighed again, exasperated, and walked closer to her. Jeanne frantically backed herself up trying to stand and when she did, she immediately fell over backwards, tripping over the piano's bench.

Swiftly, too fast for her to see, the vampire was catching Jeanne by the wrists before she could fall.

And then came the strangest experience of Jeanne's life. She found her mind, somehow melting into the vampire's.

_Okay guys, now is the time to push that little green button and REVIEW!!!!!! Please?? I'm begging you!!!! REVIEW!!!! NOW!!!!!!! OR SO HELP ME I'LL COME AFTER YOU!!! LOL I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT!!!!! *crazy face* LOL LOL JK JK ~Riverine_

_P.S. THANKS TO…Amatterasu who was my first ever reviewer!!! You Rock!!!_


	4. Not a Chance

Chapter 4 – Not a Chance

Jeanne was frightened. She could still feel her physical body being held by the vampire but she also had the sense that she was being embraced by his mind as well. Jeanne couldn't make her body move no matter how much she screamed at her muscles. She could feel the vast contours of his mind, dark and alien, harsh and unforgiving just as she knew that he could feel hers. She knew that he could feel her fear and she hated that. If it was one thing that Jeanne had learned, it was never to let a vampire know you were afraid. She frantically imagined brick walls obscuring her consciousness, her thoughts, and then suddenly it seemed to work.

The vampire was confused. _Stop… Why are you doing this?_

Jeanne ignored him, trying to keep her head while she figured a way out of this. She could still feel the vampire and his thoughts, his confusion and his awe at what was happening. Worse, she could tell that he wasn't doing anything. He wasn't causing this to happen to her and as he pondered over what it could possibly be, while at the same time trying to get around Jeanne's wall, he found a name for what was happening to them both.

_Soulmates. _

Jeanne's blood ran cold. This couldn't be happening to her. She wouldn't let it. She would not let it happen to her just like it had happened to Maggie. For Christ's sake she didn't even know his name! But even as these thoughts ran through her mind, she could feel the vampire's happiness. His unrestricted joy that he would finally have someone to love him, and beneath it all a slight sense of unease. Jeanne directed her mind towards those thoughts unconsciously, without thinking and before she could call herself back, she was being sucked into his memories.

She saw a boy a few years younger than her own age staring at a dinner table laden with food, surrounded by a picture perfect American family from the 50's. She could tell that the boy knew he was supposed to be happy, content, but that he wasn't. He felt like something was missing.

The next memory came, rushing into her mind. She saw a boy, surrounded by a group of girls all of them begging for one thing or another, as he got into a expensive sports car and drove away, the high school getting smaller in the distance, leaving the mob behind, that same feeling of longing for something he couldn't name sick in the pit of his stomach.

Then came darker images. She saw him alone in a room with no windows, a knife in his hand as he cut his wrists again and again, leaving the bright scarlet blood to trail on the floor. She saw him buying drugs of every kind imaginable and shooting up on his bedroom floor, the grey eyes that held so much pain hidden, shadowed, behind his dark hair. She saw him take a gun to his head, trying to kill himself, as he stared in the mirror and he couldn't do it.

To her surprise she felt herself pity him, felt it well up inside of her like a dam before she crushed it back down inside of her along with the yearning to help him, to heal him and to comfort him.

And in that swift moment of concentration lost, her brick wall crumbled. It shattered into a million fragile pieces, each one a memory, feeling or thought that she had been trying to hide. He felt her fear and he tried to comfort her.

Jeanne reeled away from him, more frightened than ever as she tried and tried to shield herself again. She felt his shock that she saw him as an enemy, someone who would hurt her, the first chance he got.

Mentally, although Jeanne wasn't sure how she knew this, she could feel him shaking his head gently.

_I can't hurt you,_ he said simply. _Do you know how much it would hurt me, to hurt my soulmate? Not to mention the fact that I don't want to hurt you and I never will. _

_I AM NOT YOUR SOULMATE!!! _

Jeanne was screaming, fear clawing at her belly. What was happening? What was he doing to her? How could she get out of this and away from him?

He seemed to realize what she was thinking.

_I told you, it's the soulmate principal. I'm not doing anything. _

_Liar, _she hissed.

Then, he did something that stopped her in her tracks. He threw a memory at her, the memory of how the piano had sounded when she'd played and how she'd looked though his eyes.

The music was shocking. It amazed Jeanne that though she had been the one playing it, she had heard a completely different song. She saw a girl, her, she reminded herself dazedly, with red hair that shone even in the dim light, bent over the piano playing. Her shoulders were curved inwardly, making her look soft and fragile, as did the expression on her face, which is what shocked Jeanne, the most. She looked happy, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were amazingly green. They held depth and wonder in them as she caressed the piano keys with her fingers. She felt his want, no, his need – it was stronger as he emphasized it purposely trying to make her see herself how he saw her – his need to hold her, to claim her as his own. To wipe the sadness from her eyes forever.

_You're the one the one I've been looking for. You are the missing piece that I've been searching for, for all of my life. How can I not love you?_

And Jeanne recoiled. _I didn't want this. I didn't ask for this. I don't want this. _

Surprisingly the vampire's thoughts were suddenly tender and loving.

_Soulmates are made for each other. They never ask for this. It just happens. _

Jeanne gulped and sudden inspiration came to her. She threw the image of her plunging her knife into him at his open vulnerable mind and her joy in doing it and as she knew it would, it made him recoil, successfully breaking the physical contact and thus severing the mental one.

He didn't realize that it was a lie. Jeanne couldn't kill him and she didn't know why. But he didn't know that.

He withdrew quickly, the instinct to survive stronger than the new soulmate one, and as it took him over, Jeanne took the chance to command her muscles, so unresponsive before, to move and she got the fuck out of there before the vampire could come after her.

_A/N: Okay guys, I'm not sure when the next chapter will go up so I'm not going to promise anything. It's the end of the school year and I have a crap load of homework, which is actually what I'm supposed to be doing right now but I needed a break. I also just decided that I'm going to completely re-write the book I'm working on, Heirs, because the first 160+ pages suck. There are a lot of holes and the characters relationships are not what I intended them to be. There's just too much editing to be done, and it'd be easier to rewrite it. So…I'll make you a deal. I will write one chapter of Jeanne's story every time I write a chapter of Heirs. However, if I get reviews for Jeanne's story I'll push Heirs aside for the moment and write more about her instead. Deal? Now, do me and you a favor and push that little green button that says REVIEW!!!!!_


	5. Dreams

Chapter 5 – Dreams

Jeanne ran. She pushed her muscles to the limit, striving to be faster, to get away. He didn't come after her. A small part of her that had hoped he would was disappointed. She was horrified with herself.

_Shut up_, Jeanne screamed. _He'd kill me before I had a chance to lift a finger. _But the smaller part of her that wanted to believe he wasn't dangerous, was persistent.

_He's your soulmate – he couldn't hurt you if he tried. _

_HE'S NOT MY SOULMATE! I WILL NOT BE MADE WEAK LIKE THAT! _Jeanne was arguing with herself, screaming, trying to get herself to admit it. She would not let herself be weak like that. Not ever. She hadn't let herself when she was a slave in the mountains, and she wouldn't here. Jeanne sprinted the last stretch of blessed modern hallway to her room where she threw herself inside and locked the door. She stood panting against her door and closed her eyes.

_I will not love him,_ she promised herself. _I won't allow my guard down for one minute. Ever. _

Jeanne spent the rest of her day locked in her room, terrified that someone, maybe the vampire himself, was going to come knocking. But nobody came. Her meals were brought and left outside her door on time like always and she saw no one. Reluctantly, as she felt her exhausted and stressed out body start to droop, she allowed herself to sit on the corner of her bed, against the wall with her arms around her knees which were curled against her chest. Her eyes were gritty and tired and her body begged for sleep, but Jeanne wouldn't give in. It was still possible that the vampire could come for her and she didn't want to take the chance. She had promised herself she wouldn't let her guard down, and she wouldn't. The first night was always the hardest, Jeanne had learned a long time ago. She remembered when she had been first captured and sold into slavery.

It had been dark. The little cart that Jeanne was in rattled noisily, but surprisingly let no light in. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. When she had woken, she had first thought she was dead. After all, what else could it be? The opaque nothingness was soothing in a way. It blinded her and subdued the hysterical thoughts she knew she was supposed to be having. Jeanne rode in silence, pretending that the noisy little cart she was in was a magnificent chariot taking her to heaven. There was no time in the dark. It could have been two minutes or two days and Jeanne wouldn't have noticed. And Jeanne was comfortable. She thought she was on her way to heaven. She didn't fight the chariot or try to escape. It was only when she'd arrived in Hell, did she realize that it wasn't a chariot.

She remembered the old days. The frightened days of trying to stand up to the guards and being beaten back down harshly and quickly. Jeanne learned quickly. She learned to keep her head down, and speak only when spoken to. She learned to take what she could from the other weaker slaves, because it was the only way she would ever survive. Jeanne learned to hate. She learned to hate the Night World and all of it's fellow participants for what they had done to her. On the surface, she looked like just another slave. Degraded, unhopeful, resigned, and frightened. But on the inside, on the inside, she was a rebel. Jeanne seethed with the hope of escape, of freedom from this wretched place. She plotted while she did her chores. Various ways of distracting the guards and other ways of getting weapons. She would never let them take away her spark. She would never let them take away who she was, her identity, what made Jeanne, Jeanne. These monsters had the upper hand but Jeanne would figure out a way around it. She was smart and clever and incredibly malicious, when she needed to be.

She remembered one day, about a month after she had arrived, that a slave had been caught with wood. It was a little girl, she'd been born into slavery, who was too small to understand the importance of never being caught with wood. Jeanne remembered the little girl's mother and father begging with the King, Delos's father. They pleaded for mercy, offering themselves instead, and then they were forced to watch and hear her screams as she was torn apart by a pack of shapeshifters. They had both tried to kill the King after that and in return they were killed as well. Jeanne would never forget that day. Ever.

When she couldn't keep her eyes open it was that day that she dreamed about. Only she was the little girl and the vampire was the one that stood by laughing with a masochistic cruelness that only a Night World person could have. Jeanne woke herself up because she was screaming. She huddled in the corner in a ball, her back against the wall as tears streamed down her face.

_No weakness. Can't show them I'm afraid. Can't afford any weakness._

Eventually, she became aware of a feeling that someone could feel her panic. Someone knew that she had had a nightmare and that it had frightened her. Jeanne was shaking, trembling all over as she tried in vain to control her terror. And then as she looked down into the crook of her lap, she saw the oddest thing that distracted her. There was a silver string, trailing out from her heart, through the room and out the door. Jeanne frowned. Was she still dreaming? She tried to touch it, but the silver cord was like smoke. Her hands passed though it, and it gave her a small tug in the direction of the cord. Jeanne frowned again, as the cord gave her another little tug, urging her out the door. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she muttered, "All right, I'm coming, I'm coming," before reluctantly getting out of bed.

She slid her feet into some slippers and then yawned. "This had better be a good dream." She muttered to herself again, because what else could it be? She must not have woken up before, only thought she had.

Jeanne let the silver cord pull her out of her room and down the hall, into the main foyer, and outside on the steps. It was a little cold outside, and in her thin night gown, Jeanne shivered. She hesitated, as the cord pulled her onward, down the steps and into the surrounding forest but then she went ahead and followed it. It was only a dream after all, what could happen? Jeanne followed it into the forest for a few minutes, walking on beaten trails, while the leafy canopy above whispered secrets to one another. She shivered. What was supposed to happen in this dream? It was a far cry better than the one she had been having before, she admitted grudgingly to herself, but what was the point?

Jeanne continued walking for about another 5 minutes before the silver cord suddenly stopped pulling. Jeanne stopped, looking around. Where was she? She'd never be able to find her way back now! Maybe she should just wake up…

That was when she heard the voices.

Two people, male, both arguing in hushed voices, directly to her left. Jeanne crouched down, immediately on guard and peered through the bushes at the two men, illuminated by a flashlight one of them was holding. She immediately realized that it wasn't two men, but two vampires. No human would hold themselves that way, with a sort of primeval elegance. Her blood ran cold, and as she started to back away, slowly, quietly, she heard what they were saying and stopped.

"Delos, I've found her! The one I've been looking for all my life. She's here at the castle!"

Jeanne suddenly recognized one of the men as Prince Delos, Maggie's soulmate and shuddered.

"Yes? And do you even know her name? I can't help you convince her if I don't know who she is."

The other vampire sighed and crossed his arms.

"I don't know her name. She kept it from me when our minds touched, how I don't know. For a human she has incredibly strong mind powers."

Delos threw up his hands and groaned.

"You come to me and ask for my help yet you don't know who this girl is, where she stays, or if she's even staying here! How am I supposed to help you?"

Jeanne got a sinking feeling in her stomach. They were talking about her. She started to move away, slowly backing up on her hands and knees as they continued bickering.

"I'll find out who she is. Trust me I will. I just want you to be on the lookout for redheads and find out who they are. There can't be that many here, right?"

Delos shrugged and sighed. "How am I supposed to know? And why all the secrecy? Why did you pull me out here for this? It's not a crime to have a soulmate you know."

The vampire uncrossed his arms and spread them apart in the world wide gesture of, "Why the hell should I tell you?"

"I'll tell you later why I had to talk to you in private. Once I've figured out who she is, I'll tell you. For now though, you must remain in the dark."

Delos grumbled something.

"Fine, Kevin. Have it your way. Keep secrets from one of your friends."

The vampire, Kevin, smiled. "Not for very long my friend, not for very long."

Jeanne was still trying to back up and get the hell out of there when her knee snapped a twig.

Both Delos and Kevin's heads snapped up and they moved towards the bushes where she was. Kevin got there first and he stared at Jeanne with his mouth open in shock.

"How did…"

Before he could finish speaking Jeanne was up and running as fast and as hard as she could. Almost immediately she heard him coming after her and Jeanne knew that if he caught her this time, Kevin, the vampire who was convinced he was her soulmate, would kill her.

So she ran harder.

_A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up guys. I've been really busy with all the end of the year crap that goes on in high school. Plus my mom's been on a cleaning drive so I got stuck shampooing carpets for most of today. I'll do my best to get Chapter 6 up asap, but I can't promise anything. My life's been really hectic lately. Thanks to my new reviewers and kudos to the ones that keep reviewing. You guys are awesome. I know this isn't my best work but I wanted to get it up there. By the way anyone who is interested in reading Heirs, please contact me… I'm pretty sure I've told everyone what Heirs is but if you don't know just p.m. me or something and I'll explain. Thanks again and keep reading!! ~Riverine_


	6. Denial

Chapter 6 – Denial

Jeanne's feet hurt from the twigs, rocks and thorns that she ran on but she kept going with only one thought in mind: Get away. She could hear the vampire, _Kevin, _her mind reminded her, coming after her, calling for her to stop, but she ignored his pleas. Her nightgown billowed behind her like a great white sail and she could see the steps of the large building that housed Circle Daybreak and the surrounding grass, when he tackled her.

Jeanne didn't scream, she knew it showed fear and that was something she couldn't afford, but immediately she was struggling, twisting, kicking, hitting, biting, and yanking on hair.

She heard him yelp once as she bit him and satisfaction rolled in her stomach.

Eventually though, inevitably, because he was a vampire and a thousand times stronger than her, he had her pinned in the dewy grass soaking through the thin fabric of her nightgown and making her shiver.

Jeanne snarled.

"Let me go." Icicles dripped from every word. Worse, she could feel his mind unconsciously stretching out towards her but her rage was so great that she pushed it away immediately.

Kevin looked at her puzzled and shook his head. "No, I'm not going to let you go."

"Let me GO!" With the last word she threw her legs up and squirmed trying to get away, to no avail.

"Why do you keep running away from me? I'm not going to hurt you."

"And yet you have me pinned to the ground," she pointed out still struggling.

"Only because I'm trying to figure this out! I don't know how the soulmate principal works but I'm pretty sure it's better if we figure out what's going on sooner, rather than later."

"I am NOT your soulmate!"

He flinched slightly and then Delos came running up.

"Kevin? What are you…?" Delos trailed off when he saw what Kevin was doing to me.

"Jeanne? What are you doing out here? Why does Kevin have you pinned to the ground?"

"I'd like to know why 'Kevin'," my voice was bitingly sarcastic, "… has me pinned to the ground too. I'd also like to know why he's not letting me go."

Delos looked stunned.

"Kevin let her go, you can catch her again if she tries to run, but having your soulmate pinned to the ground isn't a good way to start things out, trust me."

Kevin deliberated for a moment and then released Jeanne's wrists. She jerked away violently, and gave him a glare that would have stopped anyone in their tracks. It made Kevin look slightly amused.

"I don't know what the fuck, is going on, but I am NOT this guy's soulmate."

Delos chuckled, a wry smile on his face. "Then how do you explain that silver cord coming out of your heart connecting you to him?"

Jeanne looked down, suddenly noticing the cord again. It was tugging her closer to him. She gaped at it for a few seconds.

_No, this can't be happening. This WON'T happen. I won't let it!_

"This is a dream. It has to be… a dream." Jeanne's voice was faint as she tried to touch the silver cord. It was as insubstantial as smoke, but it also tickled as her bare hands ran through it.

Delos continued talking. "Kevin could tell you were frightened. He felt your fear, your fear from your nightmare, which is why he came to find me. It hurts…" Delos winced once, remembering, "… when your soulmate is in pain or afraid. That's why he came to find me so quickly. I'm guessing that you felt his, anxiety at finding you, and that this is what drew you out here."

I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about." My voice was cool and collected a far cry from what I really felt inside.

_NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!_

"Jeanne, the longer you deny it, the more you deny it, the more it's going to hurt you both. Accept it. You have a vampire soulmate."

I jumped up.

"I don't know what the hell you're smoking Delos, but I'm getting the fuck out of here. Why the hell should I trust either of you? No vampire has ever been straight with me, so why should I believe any of the shit you're telling me now? I've never been given a reason to trust a vampire and I don't intend to let that trust be my down fall. Don't try to stop me,_ either _of you, or I swear to god, you'll regret it."

I turned and walked away, my back stiff and straight, my night gown flapping again. Then I went to my room and cried like a baby, the first time I had cried in a long time.

_Author's note: Okay, I know this one's really short and I apologize for that but like I've said, I've been really busy. I've got a writer's block on Heirs and I didn't sleep well last night. I'm putting this up for the people that keep reviewing it, so enjoy what little of it there is. Next chapter may be in Kevin's POV. We'll see….:) Thanks again to my reviewers, please keep it up guys!!!! Now push that little green button that says REVIEW and save me a ton of stress. Please?_

_~Riverine_

_P.S. If you're interested in reading Heirs, please, please, please, let me know. I'm in desperate need of un-biased feedback. Thanks guys and keep reading._


	7. A Way Around

_Okay, guys, I know you as my readers and or reviewers are probably pretty pissed that it's been so long since I got the next chapter up. BUT, I have a very good excuse!! I've been extremely sick and busy. Last week was my last week of school…meaning I had numerous finals that I had to study for. It also means that I barely squeaked by on all of them… oops, huh? Last weekend I was at a camp for more than three days without computer/internet access. Instead, I was taking little girls to the bathroom, at three in the morning. Fun… huh? Not only that but I just got Pink Eye. Which also means I've felt like crap for the last few days. On top of that you put my very busy and draining last month and a half of track meets, as well as regional and State meets, which is very stressful, and you've got one exhausted writer. So please, please, please, forgive me when I say I haven't exactly had the time nor the physical ability to write. Please keep all these things in mind before you decide not to read this… Also as a treat and a plea for you to continue to read my stuff, I am putting not just one chapter up… but two!! So please, please, please, PLEASE, DON'T BE MAD AT ME!? I'M BEGGING YOU!!! As always review and let me know how you like the Kevin POV…. I haven't really decided if I want to continue to do Kevin's POV. Let me know if you forgive me enough to review… I'm crossing my fingers! ~Riverine_

Kevin's POV

Chapter 7 – A Way Around

Kevin watched her go, a sour pit of acid deep within his belly. How could she deny it? _Why_ did she deny it? Couldn't she understand?

He turned back to Prince Delos, who was looking at him with a bemused expression.

"What am I going to do?" He felt defeated and he knew his face showed it.

Delos pursed his lips together, trying not to laugh.

"You know when I first met Maggie, I was almost in the same position Jeanne is in. I didn't want to admit that we were soulmates. After all, me, having a human soulmate? It couldn't happen. I couldn't help but asking myself if it was some kind of joke."

He shook his head gently, remembering.

"You have to understand where she's coming from. You don't know anything about the life she's had. You don't _know _her. You don't know her likes and dislikes, her hopes and fears. You have to know someone, to fall in love with them. Contrary to popular belief, love doesn't happen at first sight. You two may be soulmates, but that doesn't mean you'll be lovers." Delos finished speaking and smiled frankly at him.

Kevin looked at the ground, crestfallen. "But_ I_ love her. She's the part of me that's been missing since I was born. She's the piece of myself that's been eluding me for all of my life. I feel," he took a deep breath, "whole around her. Even if she doesn't want to be around me, I want to be around her… I feel good when I'm around her. I am finally complete."

He turned around to look at the moon, observing it from Earth. Kevin wondered if that was what he'd have to do to for the rest of his life – observe Jeanne, his soulmate, from afar, confined to seeing glimpses of her life from the confines of forced distance.

"Give her time. She may yet fall in love with you." He heard Delos chuckle wryly.

"I want her too… but I also want her to like me," Kevin said slowly. "To love me if possible. I hope that…eventually… she will. But I don't know how to go about this. What are we now? Acquaintances? Friends? Enemies? She can't even stand to be around me, let alone give me a chance to get to know me!" He groaned and his frustrated mind went to the memory that he'd rather not remember.

Kevin shuddered as the image she, _Jeanne_, he reminded his mind, had thrown at him when their minds had been connected. He could feel her terror, her need to escape, her fear. So she had defended herself, the only way she could think of. Kevin didn't blame her. The image, the idea that she would like to kill him, still hurt of course, but Kevin had been able to feel her fear. He understood why she had done it. That didn't mean that he had to like it of course, but he could understand what it was like to be afraid.

Kevin threw up his arms and spun around to face Delos.

"I don't even understand! Why is she afraid of me? I haven't done anything to her! I _can't_ hurt her! She's run from me since we first met, when I realized that she was my soulmate. I don't understand. Is the idea of spending time with me so repulsive? I'm a vampire, so what? She's lived at Circle Daybreak long enough to get used to it, right?"

He groaned and hung his head. "I just don't understand," he whispered.

Delos opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again and swallowed. He hesitated once more but then went ahead.

"Kevin, the reason that Jeanne is afraid of you, or really, the reason she's afraid of us Night World people, is because she was a slave for three years."

Kevin moved so fast he didn't even realize what he was doing until he was holding Delos in the air by his throat. Horrified, he let Delos go and backed away.

"What do you mean she was a slave?" Kevin was unable to keep the icy rage out of his voice. His whole body shook with anger. Anger that his soulmate had been a _slave_. A slave of all things. He knew that meant she had had a hard life. He didn't want to think about what she had seen. Hell, Kevin didn't even want to think what she had seen. Though it probably wasn't any better than some of his dark secrets. Kevin purposely directed his mind away from those memories and thought of what he wanted to do to the people that had hurt Jeanne instead.

He wanted to find every single person that had ever hurt Jeanne, and rip them to pieces. No one would ever hurt her again. Not if he had anything to do about it. If anyone ever _did_ hurt her, as unlikely as that chance was to be, he'd annihilate them.

Delos eyed him warily. "I didn't know, Kevin. I had what you might call a rude awakening, to the things that were happening in my kingdom. I found out when Maggie found me. I've done all I can to help Jeanne, but like I said, she doesn't like vampires. I've offered to help, but she won't accept. I don't think she'll accept anything from you either."

I stared at him, still furious, that Jeanne, my soulmate, had been in his care, if that's what you wanted to call it, and had been hurt physically and emotionally.

Kevin walked away without another word. He had to figure this out. If Jeanne didn't want him to be around her, then he wouldn't. His soulmate had the right to her free will, no matter how much it hurt him. He could, he would, give her, her privacy. She deserved that much. He knew without anyone telling him that when she was unhappy it would make him hurt. He hurt physically, because he knew and he felt that Jeanne was upset.

Kevin took a side hallway out of the modern wing of the mansion, and headed into the original corridors of the mansion, still thinking. He could do this… couldn't he? He could stay away from his soulmate. But for how long? Could he continue to do this for a long time? As long as he needed to? He shied away from the fact that one day she wouldn't be there.

Kevin flinched again, as he realized that he couldn't say away from Jeanne forever. He wasn't strong enough. As he realized this, he also realized that he was going to have to find a way for Jeanne to start realizing herself, that he was her soulmate.

So Kevin started plotting. If he proved to her that he wasn't a threat, would she start to trust him? As hopeful as his thoughts were, Kevin knew that it would take more than that. The brief glimpse he'd had into her mind, her personality, her thoughts, and the way her mind worked, made him realize that a few good acts would not be enough to win her. He'd have to prove to her that he wouldn't hurt her. Not only that he wouldn't hurt her, but that he couldn't hurt her. She wouldn't like it if he hurt other humans, not just her. Now he just had to figure out how to do that.

Kevin hesitated at the old wooden door, its handle rusted with age.

How? How could he convince someone that hated vampires, that was afraid of vampires, that hated what he was, and was terrified of what she thought he could do, that he _couldn't_ hurt her? He was stumped, for once in his life.

Kevin stood at the piano and stared at it. Could he stay away from her? Could he stay away from Jeanne? Could he really do it? Kevin decided he'd have to wait and see. Perhaps he could observe her from afar… in that way he'd be giving her some of her privacy as well as being able to study her for ideas as how to convince her to trust him.

He set the bench up right again and tried to find the right keys to form the song that had first called him to Jeanne. He spent his night hunched over the piano, experimenting with different key combinations, but he never got the song quite right. It didn't matter how many times he went over the memory in his mind. The song continued to elude him, flitting around his memory like a smoke he couldn't catch. The song was different than anything he'd ever heard before. It was… breathtaking. That didn't stop Kevin from trying though. He kept at it, the entire night.

_Okay if you skipped over my first message at the beginning of this chapter and you want an explanation for why it's been so long since I got a new chapter up, I suggest you go back and read it cause, I'm not saying it again. I'm going to go write Chapter 8 and it should be up in an hour, maybe two. Please don't be mad at me… and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!! I haven't decided if I want to keep doing Kevin's POV… let me know what you think of this chapter. I know not very much happened, but I was kinda experimenting with it. I'm also not sure if it's too, Edward/ Twilght-ish. Please, please let me know. This is one chapter where it's really important for me to get feedback. So if you're mad at me, please for the moment get over it and review… then you can go back to being mad at me okay guys? Thanks… now why don't you push that little button that says review for me? ~Riverine._


	8. Challenge

_Okay….I'm making good on my promise… here's two chapter's in one week… Yay! It was going to be one day, but I couldn't really see very well after writing Chapter 7… so I decided to save you all the spelling and grammar mistakes… damn you Pink Eye!!! Anyway, Chapter 8… here we go… if you're mad at me and want an explanation of why it's taken so long for me to get the next chapter up, go back to the last chapter and read my extra long explanation of why. I don't feel like explaining it again, so go back and read it the first time I said it. Thanks and as always, please review! ~Riverine_

Back to Jeanne's POV

Chapter 8 – Challenge

Jeanne was tired. She was tired of hiding in her room. She was tired of counting ceiling tiles, and waiting for something, or someone, to kill her. So she made a decision. Jeanne decided to pretend it never happened. She decided that she was going to pretend that it never even affected her. She never met anyone called Kevin and she didn't have a soulmate. She had never wanted this to happen, so she was going to pretend that it had never occurred. She would pretend that Kevin hadn't affected her at all. She would pretend that she didn't think about him at all. That he wasn't a part of her every waking moment. That she didn't wonder why he hadn't come after her, like a small part of her had wanted him to. She wouldn't admit to anyone that she both loved and hated him.

A part of Jeanne wondered how she could love and hate someone that she was so impossibly frightened of. How was it even possible? She didn't even know him and here she was, admitting that she loved him! What the hell was wrong with her? Why wasn't she strong enough to have killed him when she had the chance? Then she wouldn't have to worry about all of this! Why did she miss someone she didn't even know? Why did her chest ache and burn whenever she thought of him? What the hell was her problem? Why was she filled with an intense longing, almost to the point of pain, whenever she thought about leaving Circle Daybreak?

Jeanne desperately wanted to run away. She wanted to run, and run, and run, and run until she didn't recognize anyone or where she was. She wanted to turn away and never look back. But she knew she couldn't do that. Instinctively, something told her that running away would be a mistake. It would hurt her more in the long run.

Jeanne pressed her face to her knees, stifling a sob.

She didn't want to think about how much it would hurt if she was farther away from the vampire than she was now. She hurt now and they were within a mile of each other. Jeanne also knew, although how she wasn't sure, that the vampire, or Kevin, as her mind kept reminding her, was determined. Jeanne knew that he would stop at nothing to convince her that he meant her no harm and as much as she denied him it wouldn't do any good. She also knew, as she had found out with other Night World people, that once a vampire decided his next obsession was you, never to trust them, no matter what. Of course that was a given, when it came to any of the Night people, but she didn't know what to do. She couldn't very well spend the rest of her life stuck in her room, could she? That would be letting Kevin, she was grimly opposed to calling the vampire by a name – it made it seem more human – win, wouldn't it? She wouldn't let him win. She would never let him win. She had to keep fighting… even if she didn't know how.

Jeanne turned her head to the side and looked out her window, watching the water droplets cascade down the glass like little race cars. What could she do? What, if anything, was the solution?

She groaned and threw herself off her bed, finding something to wear. This room was driving her crazy. She needed to get out of here, before she thought herself into suicide. She needed something to distract herself. She needed something that would take all of her attention… What she really wanted to do was go back to that little room where she had found the piano… but surely, Kevin would be waiting there, or at least keeping an eye on the room.

Jeanne felt her self long to sit in front of the wonderful instrument again. She felt herself long for the sweet oblivion of music. Then she remembered the piano in the main foyer of the mansion. Jeanne remembered seeing it numbly, through her eyes of shock, when she had first come here. She hadn't even considered playing it then. Now she wanted to.

Jeanne straightened resolutely. The main foyer was where everyone hung out, kind of like a living room/game room all rolled into one, with big screen TV's and pool tables. Kevin wouldn't dare try anything there – too many witnesses. It made it safe. Jeanne could go there without fear of him kidnapping her or something else like that. She could distract herself, but also be safe.

She smiled and made her way to her door, opening it and peering into the hallway. No one was there so she let herself skip down the hall, ecstatic. Jeanne made her way back to the foyer and stood in the door way looking out at the people gathered in the room. They all seemed so relaxed, at peace with their soulmates, especially the human and Night World couples. They lounged on the many couches and chairs, chatting softly. Their laughter filed the room with a gently airy tone. Jeanne found herself longing to the same sense of companionship, of friendship, and of trust. She shook her head, trying to shake these longings out of her. She was being silly. She could never trust one of Them. Never. She might as well get used to being alone. That was how it was going to be for the rest of her life. Unless… but no, Jeanne pushed the tantalizing thought away. She couldn't do that. She couldn't give in… could she?

Lazily, casually, trying to blend in so no one noticed her, Jeanne made her way to the beautiful grand piano in the corner of the room. She opened the lid, and propped it, surprised to see that her hands were shaking as she looked around the room for Kevin.

She relaxed fractionally as she realized that he wasn't here. She could distract herself without worrying about watching her back for him. Jeanne spotted Maggie and Delos sitting together on a couch watching T.V. Maggie's feet were in Delos' lap and her head was on his shoulder. She couldn't see what they were watching, but she could see the trust and love they had for each other, almost reflecting off them. Delos said something and Maggie laughed. It made Jeanne's chest throb, almost as if reminding her that she could have that too. There were times when, surrounded by dozens of perfect couples in love, it was hard not to feel left out and alone. Add to that the fact that Jeanne knew that there was someone that could, perhaps would, love her like that, and it was enough to bring hot tears springing to her eyes. But he would kill her, Jeanne reminded herself. She couldn't let her guard down. He would take the first chance he could get and suck the life from her body.

But in her mind, Jeanne knew she was lying to herself. She knew that no matter how hard she tried to forget him, she couldn't. She blinked the tears away and sat down on the bench, placing her hands on the keys.

What could she play? Jeanne went back in her memories, trying to remember songs. Surprisingly, one, a different one than the one she had played before, came to mind. She hesitated once but then struck the opening keys.

Her fingers remembered more now, they weren't as clumsy as they had been before. As the song got louder, she could feel people's surprised eyes on her. She ignored them, knowing that eventually they would loose interest. She knew Maggie and Delos were starring – she could feel her friend's worried clay colored eyes on her back, but she didn't turn around. Jeanne concentrated on the music, letting her fingers flow across the keys.

Her fingers were moving so fast! She took a moment to marvel at the fact that even though she was incredibly out of practice, she was still able to shred some serious stuff. She bent over the piano, turning her ear to the keys, and smiled. Yes, this was what she needed. She desperately needed this. This blissful innocence that shielded her from the world around her. She didn't even feel anyone's eyes on her now. She was in her own world, consisting of the piano, her fingers, and the music.

She hesitated for a moment, the music slowing, whispering around her as she tried to remember where to go next. She thought but then couldn't remember the next part of the song, so she let her fingers lead her into another, faster song, one she didn't recognize until the tempo started getting more upbeat. Jeanne knew she was smiling, enjoying her distraction more than she had thought she probably ever would.

She heard someone gasp and contemplated turning around to see who it was, but then decided against it. What did it matter to her anyway? Jeanne continued to play; letting the music reach a crescendo before taking back into the first song, she started playing. She didn't even notice the soft accompanying violin that completed the song. Not satisfied with what she was playing, she let the music reach up again, soaring and played a one hand solo that she wasn't sure she could play until she did. She made two mistakes but all in all Jeanne thought she did a pretty good job. Again, the violin accompanied her, complimenting her in the air. She brought it back to the intro of the first song and then ended it gracefully, but the violin kept playing, unnoticed by her.

Jeanne smiled. This was exactly what she needed. Then she heard something that did not belong in the quiet atmosphere of the foyer, noticing for once the other music. She heard a violin, crying its mournful tune, seeming to echo in agreement with her heart. Jeanne didn't turn around; she was listening, her hands still on the piano keys. The violin was played beautifully, resonating in the open atmosphere, seeming to tug at the edges of her eyes until she felt tears in them again.

She hesitated, her fingers poised beautifully upon the black and white keys, but then she went right in, complimenting the violin. It sang back in joy to her as Jeanne tentatively keyed a bridge. It crooned out a challenge, lofty yet kind, almost mistakable for something else.

Jeanne smiled wider, the tears no longer in her eyes. She thrummed out a crescendo and the violin responded in turn.

So Jeanne dove right in, her fingers moving over the keys so fast they were a blur. She fingered a different tune, completely improvising as the violin wove in and out of her chords. Jeanne laughed and continued to play, flirting with the violin on the piano, tempting it, daring it to be better, to be faster, to sound more glorious than her own song. But the problem was, she knew that without one another the song wouldn't be complete, it wouldn't be whole. She let her body move to the music and laughed again, pure joy in her voice. She sensed the end to the song and began to slow it down, the harmony between violin and piano still unmistakable as she kept it up, yearning for it to keep going, to keep the idyllic peace around her.

But slowly, as she knew it would, the song drew to an end, inevitably slowing down into silence. The last note on the violin hung poignantly in the silence, so Jeanne responded with another one handed solo, ending the song abruptly.

Cheers and a deafening roar of applause startled Jeanne. She jumped and almost fell of the bench. But then she allowed herself to smile and enjoy the moment for a second. She put the top to the piano down, still breathless and pushed the bench in. Then she turned to face the violinist.

Jeanne felt like she'd been slapped in the face.

It was Kevin. Kevin holding the violin and bow, smiling at her sheepishly. Jeanne backed away and her heart plunged.

_It was Kevin. _

Her mind was stunned, no beyond stunned. She felt like she'd been zapped. The small part of her mind that still retained sanity smugly remained unfazed. It made sense in a way. Who else but her soulmate could understand her thorough the music so well? Who else could complete her so beautifully?

Jeanne told her mind to shut up. _Kevin is not my soulmate! I can't trust him! He'll kill me!_

But a small part of her wondered, wondered what it would be like to have someone that could understand her so completely in music, understand her in life. A part of her wanted to throw all caution to the wind and trust him. Jeanne squashed that part of herself before it could overcome her and tried to focus on what Kevin was saying.

"I'm sorry… I just couldn't resist. Please don't run away from me again. I won't hurt you I promise. I just want…" His voice trailed off and he looked down, oblivious to the crowd around him that was still cheering.

_You just want what?_ She wanted to say, but she didn't. She continued to stare at him, frightened.

He stepped forward and stopped a respectful distance away. "I'd like to be friends, at the very least. I won't, I _can't_, hurt you. You don't need to be afraid. Please trust me. Please." His voice had the barest hint of an accent she hadn't noticed before, and it was filled with an agony that surprised her. What did he have to be sad about?

Jeanne hesitated and the part of her that she had tried to squash before rose up and denied all of her warnings.

"Okay." She said.

_Author's Note: Okay I hope you guys like this chapter, I think it's definitely my favorite. Music is a big part of my writing and it's very important to me in life. I wanted to incorporate that into this chapter. Actually it's going to be incorporated throughout this whole story. There ya go, a little hint of what's to come... ;P As always review and if you're still mad at me… I'm sorry. Please forgive me and review okay? Thanks as always… now hit the review button… please? *makes begging face with her Pink eye eyes* ~Riverine_


	9. What It's Like To Be Me

Chapter 9 – What It's Like To Be Me

Jeanne stared at him, still slightly shocked by her own admission. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She hissed in her mind. The people were still clapping rather loudly, and she wanted to set something straight with him.

"But," she said loudly placing emphasis on the word. "I am not yours to command, I have rights, and I intend to use them. If I tell you to go away, you go away, and if I tell you that, I don't want to ever see you again, then you will follow my requests."

Kevin seemed somewhat shocked, and a slightly insulted look spread across his face, but he quickly squashed it and nodded determinedly. She wasn't oblivious to the joy in his eyes.

"You don't touch me. Ever. I don't care if I'm going to die, or something, but you will _not_ touch me. And above all, I am not your soulmate. I don't want to hear you talk about the subject, nor think about it. You will be a…" here a wry smile flickered across her face. "Acquaintance of sorts. I'm only doing this because I want to talk to someone about music and I doubt there is a single person in this blasted Circle that can play as well as you or me. That is the _only_ reason I am doing this, so don't go getting any pretty ideas in your head."

He nodded once more.

"I don't suppose I can talk to you about music now, can I?" He jerked his chin toward a few vacated chairs.

She hesitated, but then went ahead and nodded. The other part of her was screaming in horror, but she managed to ignore that part.

"For a little while." She hedged.

He nodded and turned, spreading apart the throes of people, leaving an open path for her. Jeanne followed, cautiously.

He sat himself in a chair, sinuously and she followed somewhat gracefully in another chair across from him. She tucked her legs under herself, and let her hair cover her like a veil. Jeanne was hiding, but there was no way she was going to start _this _conversation.

Kevin was silent for a few moments, thinking, she presumed.

"How did you learn to play like that?" he asked. She could hear the wonder and awe in his voice as well as a somewhat disguised note of approval, from musical colleague to colleague.

Jeanne shrugged, still hiding behind my hair. "Here and there. My mother taught me the basics, and when she saw how much I loved it, she got me a real tutor. Before I was…" she paused here searching for a word, not sure how much she was willing to give away.

"Kidnapped?" Kevin suggested.

I looked up at him, surprised, my eyes showing my alarm, but my face a composed mask.

"Delos told me, go on."

She glanced behind me at Delos and Maggie who was watching her with worried eyes. Jeanne glared at her friends' soulmate.

"He had no right to," she muttered.

Kevin nodded sympathetically, a bashful smile on his face. "I am sorry. I just wanted to learn more about you. For heaven's sake I didn't even know your name!" His voice rang with sincerity.

Jeanne ignored his outburst, still hiding behind her hair.

"I had just been accepted to a two month student program at Julliard. Then I was kidnapped." Her voice was flat. She tried to ignore the moisture that endangered her perfect mask of nonchalance.

"I see," Kevin said softly.

She leveled her gaze with his, looking into his nearly black eyes. Anger had risen up in her, suddenly and it had made her braver than usual.

He blinked, but didn't look away, keeping his gaze with hers.

"Do you?" her voice was sharp.

"Do you really understand what it's like to be taken from your family? To have your rights , your freedom, ripped from your grasp, and to be thrown into a slave pen?"

Jeanne shook her head, disgusted.

"You have no idea what I've been through. You have no idea what it's like to be me. So don't you dare, don't you _dare_, sit there and tell me you understand."

She stood up to leave, furious, but stopped at the sound of his soft voice.

"So tell me."

Jeanne, paused, waiting for him to continue, her fists clenched, and the tears welling over. Why did he affect her like this? Why was he able to get under her skin and stir up old memories, past wounds and hurts, like this?

She didn't understand it.

"Tell me what it's like. Help me to understand you. That's all I really wanted in the first place." It sounded almost as if he was frustrated, but trying to cover it up.

She turned around and faced him, her arms crossed.

"Why should I? Give me one good reason why I should trust you? Your kind," she sneered, trying to cover up her uncertainness, "have only ever hurt me. Why should I trust you, and tell you things about myself?"

Kevin looked down, into his laps, making a steeple with his fingers, one lock of soft black hair falling over his face.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I don't really have an answer to that, except that maybe, if you would give me a chance, I could prove it to you. I could prove to you that you can trust me, that I won't, can't, hurt you."

He looked back up at her, his eyes shinning.

"Give me a chance. I'm not used to being around a human, especially around a human that's been through so much. The rules of vampire society are different. I'm still adjusting. Will you accept my apology, and give me a pardon?"

She turned away, her hand on the soft chair she had been sitting in, thinking.

On the one hand, she could trust him and put her life at stake. On the other hand, she could tell him no, and go on being alone, probably for the rest of her life. Jeanne didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to cry herself to sleep every night. She wanted someone there to comfort her and soothe her. Even if that person was a vampire.

Ugh, vampire. Jeanne shuddered a bit, just thinking about it. She could give him a chance she supposed…

Too much had happened tonight. She couldn't fully absorb, and think about it right now. She hadn't slept well, and she was in a bitchy mood. She really didn't want to do this right now.

She sighed. "Fine. But not tonight. Tonight I'm tired and I want to go to bed."

She was already turned, and as she walked away, she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jeanne wasn't sure if she was looking forward to tomorrow or dreading it.

_A/N Okay, there's really no excuse for why it's taken me this long to get this chapter up other than, I had major writer's block. I must have written twenty different versions, of this chapter, no joke, and I hated each one more than the last. I know this is a short chapter, and I'm sorry, but what can I say? Sometimes the writing just sucks. This chapter does, suck. It's been the hardest to write so far. I promise that next chapter will be better, longer and up MUCH sooner. Sorry. Please forgive me. ____ ~Riverine_


	10. Memories Of The Past

Chapter 10 – Memories Of The Past

Once again, she was running away. She was running away from the same vampire that had decided to plague her life for the last two days. She could feel his eyes on her, as she walked away, slowly, trying to resist the urge to let her legs take her somewhere far away, far far away. She made it out of the main foyer/living room okay, but once she hit the hallway, she was running. Sprinting, pushing her legs faster than she ever had before, trying to get away from Kevin, and his stupid pointless questions.

They were pointless because he was going to kill her eventually. But Jeanne didn't care. She had already let herself get in too deep, and now there was no backing out. The scariest part was that, as much as she didn't want to admit it, Jeanne was okay with it. She wanted to spend time with Kevin. She wanted to talk to him, to have him learn about her and she learn about him. She had thrown all caution to the wind and now… well she must have lost her mind because all the sudden she didn't care about dying, as long as Kevin was with her.

Disgusted with her sudden change of heart, something that no matter how much she tried to deny and ignore, was still there, Jeanne threw herself into her room and on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Not for the first time she wondered what the hell she was doing.

The two parts of herself that were most dominant at the moment – the part that looked out for her own self preservation at all costs to the people around her and thought she was being insane – argued fiercely with the other part; the other part of Jeanne that didn't want to be alone anymore, and was convinced that Kevin was telling the truth. That he really _was_ her soulmate, and therefore wouldn't ever hurt her.

Jeanne groaned and threw a shoe at her light switch, successfully encasing the room in darkness. She rolled on her side and moaned. She cried herself to sleep.

When she woke in the morning, it was raining, which fit her mood in a way. She dressed quickly in her warmest clothes, layering a cami and a thick sweater, with her usual jeans and tennis shoes. She didn't bother to do anything with her hair, just tucking it under a beanie. Reluctantly, she dragged herself downstairs and into the mess hall for breakfast, the first time ever for her.

The mess hall was dotted with a few humans and a shapeshifter or two, but it was mostly deserted. Jeanne breathed a sigh of relief. No vampires. They usually just sent breakfast up to her room, but she didn't see any point in hiding anymore. She grabbed herself a carton of milk and some cereal before sitting herself in the farthest corner, away from everyone else. She had just barely finished pouring the milk into her cereal when a shadow appeared over her.

Jeanne tensed, ready to launch herself over the table, but stayed put.

"What do you want?"

Kevin walked around to the other side of the table ignoring her question. He looked… excited.

"Do you always eat alone?"

She scowled. Now was _so _not the time to be teasing her. She wasn't what you would call a morning person.

"Yes. I usually eat up in my room, but I had an unnatural desire to be around people this morning. That's why I'm down here, trying to eat my breakfast in peace." Her voice was bitingly sarcastic.

"Ouch, touchy. I take it you aren't a morning person."

In response, Jeanne started to eat her cereal, ignoring him.

"Okay then, not a morning person." He sat down and yawned, dropping his head into his hands. "Ugh, I'm tired." He yawned again, but she studiously ignored him.

"So am I going to have to do the talking?" Jeanne spooned another bite of cereal into her mouth.

"Looks like I'm going to have to do the talking… we'll play the questions game. Either you go first, answering questions or I do. You choose."

"You answer the questions," she mumbled.

Kevin grinned. "Okay then that means you have to ask the questions."

She blinked stupidly. Why hadn't she thought of that? Wow, she really wasn't awake.

She paused. What cold she ask him? Besides the over annoying question, why the hell do you seem so fascinated by me, what was there that she could ask him? She had no interest in learning about him. Jeanne bit her lip, hesitating, and stared at her bowl of soggy frosted flakes.

"I can't think of any questions," she admitted.

Kevin laughed. "Seriously? None at all?"

Jeanne bit back a retort that bubbled to her lips.

"Nothing polite." She said.

Kevin fought to keep a smile off his face. "How about this then? I'll ask you a simple question, you answer, then you can ask me that question. Deal?"

"What do you want to know?" Jeanne was wary. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of anyone, especially any vampire, knowing things about her.

"Hmmm… something obsolete. What's your favorite color?" He asked it with a sloppy grin on his face, but his almost black eyes were curious as to if she would answer the question seriously.

She put another spoonful of cereal into her mouth before answering.

"Yellow."

"Why?" Kevin seemed surprised by this.

"Are we allowed to ask more than one question at a time?"

His sloppy, yet curious smile faltered a bit. "Well, no but – "

"Okay. Save it for your turn. Play by the rules or I won't play at all."

He scowled. "Fine." She seemed to have annoyed him. Maybe he would go away if she annoyed him enough…

"What's your favorite color?"

He rolled his eyes, the earlier annoyance forgotten. "Green. Why is yellow your favorite color? It seems, kind of… unusual."

Now it was her turn to scowl. "It's light, open. Makes me think of sunlight, and burning out the darker things."

He seemed to digest this for a minute. "That seems reasonable I suppose. You've had a lot of dark things in your life, haven't you?"

Jeanne clenched her fists. "Is that really any of your business?"

He looked down at his hands, his eyes sad for some reason. "No, I guess not. Sorry."

She made herself relax a little. "Are you really? Or are you just saying it to placate me? Sorry is such an empty word."

"Yes, I really am sorry! Why would you doubt that?" He was angry, his body taunt with tension, but he also seemed hurt.

"Well, lets see… maybe because I've never met anyone who really meant it? Oh, did I just burn you with scalding water? So sorry. I just stepped on your hand…I'm _sorry_." She was extremely sarcastic, calling on the memories of her time as a slave, and she kept going ignoring the frozen look on Kevin's face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I already fed from you today didn't I? Oh, well…" She yanked her hair to the side to show him the numerous scars on her neck from feedings.

"See that? That's what I got when your kind felt sorry for me…better to be a feeder than a slave for hard labor right?"

He had a stricken look on his face, one of horror, as he stretched out his arm towards her. His mouth was open in shock and she saw him counting the number of bite marks on her neck. When the number on his lips went over 20, he closed his eyes and stopped counting.

Jeanne took her chance while she could, leaping up from the table and striding swiftly away, while his eyes were closed. She was in the hall way of her room, when he caught her arm.

Before he could even speak, she had brought her own arm down on his, breaking his hold. After years of being a slave, experience had taught her that it was better to act first and look at faces second. The action was more instinct that thought – she did it automatically only one thought in her mind.

_Get away. _

Strong arms encased her, and she fought. She didn't know who it was, but she could tell it was a man. A memory came to her then, and she relived it with horror.

Her friend, Emmile, also a slave, had caught the eye of one of the Lords. Emmile was a very pretty girl, with long blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Some of the older and more wizened women slaves, had tried to convince her to cut her hair, or to dirty her face permanently, but Emmile wouldn't listen. She was vain. She had been in the stables one day, when that Lord had come to her. Emmile didn't understand at first, she had led a very sheltered life and she was so incredibly naïve, but Jeanne understood immediately. She was hidden in the hay hiding from a beating that she knew would come sooner or later.

The Lord had caught Emmile's arm just like Jeanne's had been caught, and wrapped her in a bear hug. Emmile still didn't understand. She pushed gently against him and when he began to drag her towards the hay where Jeanne was hiding, she started to scream. He covered her mouth with his ghastly hand. And then he raped her. Emmile was so fragile, so breakable, she wasn't able to grasp the concept that They could do anything they wanted to her. And Jeanne, hidden in the shadows, had clasped her hand over her mouth and watched, horrified. She couldn't scream. Then she would be found and he would rape her too. She couldn't run, he would hear. She couldn't tell someone – who would care? She couldn't do anything to stop him. She was helpless. Jeanne hated being helpless.

It was like a flashback, when she felt the arms around her. Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them back. _Can't show them fear. No fear. _

She was still fighting, trying to get away, to save herself. She wouldn't let herself be hurt like Emmile.

She threw a sharp jab towards her captor's rib cage with her elbow and at last the arms fell off her. She scrambled away on her hands and knees heading for a door that she could see in the corner. It was locked. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she backed herself into the corner, trying to make herself as small as possible. She saw someone looming above her and she cringed away from them. The person knelt.

"Jeanne?"

It took a moment for her to place the voice. She couldn't see. Her vision was blurry, but she recognized the voice. Kevin. That was Kevin's voice.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She swallowed.

"Don't." she pleaded. "Please don't."

"Don't what Jeanne? I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

Her vision suddenly cleared and she could see again.

His hand touched her cheek, wiping away tears. Jeanne suddenly realized what had happened and who was touching her, through her foggy and astonished mind. She felt very stupid. She hit his hand away and blinked the tears from her eyes. She couldn't think very straight but she said the words automatically.

"I thought I told you not to touch me."

Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. "What the hell just happened?"

She thought furiously. What could she tell him? She blinked.

"I… it was… I thought…"

"You need to tell me what happened. Don't try to lie to me." His voice was steady. It held authority in it.

"I thought… I thought you were…"

"You thought I was who?" He sounded confused.

"I thought you were Lord Embry. I thought you were going to… it was just like what happened to Emmile."

She was too shocked to lie to him. She had had flash backs like that of course, but never of this magnitude.

Kevin's voice was quiet. "Who is Lord Embry?"

"He was a Lord in the Castle, when I was a slave. I couldn't let it happen… not like Emmile… I couldn't let myself…"

Tears were running down her cheeks.

"What happened to Emmile? What frightened you?" he seemed disturbed, like he might not want to know the answer the question.

Her eyes fluttered and she looked into his worried gray eyes for the first time, meeting his gaze.

"She was raped. He caught her arm, like you caught mine, and then suddenly it was like I was there again. A flashback – I couldn't stop it." Her voice was blunt, and she was still too dazed to really realize what she was saying.

Kevin gasped and looked away. His whole body shook with tremors. She didn't understand why though. She couldn't think clearly yet. She wasn't even thinking about how close he was.

Kevin seemed to realize that she was still there again and he dragged her too her feet. She was so far gone, stunned, that she didn't even object to him touching her like she had before. He took her to a room, winding around hallway's and corridors, it was all a blur, and made her lie down on a bed.

She was confused. She didn't understand why she was there. The objects around her were all a blur, except for his face. She was still crying and as he threw a blanket over her, she eventually stopped crying. Her body's shaking stopped, and she relaxed marginally. Somehow, even though she knew she should have been freaking out and trying to get the hell out of where ever she was, even though she knew that she wasn't supposed to let her guard down like this, she fell asleep.

_A/N: Okay, Chapter 11, which will be in Kevin's POV should be up either later tonight or early tomorrow. Also as of Saturday, I'm going someplace where I will not have internet access, so I will not be able to put chapters up. Thanks to my loyal reviewers, and if you're still interested in reading Heirs, let me know. Although it may take me a week to get back to you. ____ As always, please leave me a review. I really enjoy getting them back from you. ~Riverine_


	11. Worry

_A/N: If you didn't read my last note, this is for you. I will NOT have internet access, and possibly computer access, as of Saturday for a week. I should be able to post Chapter 12 on either the 2 or 3 of July. I'm warning you now, so you can't get pissed at me and use that as an excuse not to review. I really need you guys to review, because I can't be a better author if I don't get feedback. There are parts that I'm not sure of and I need clarification on. So, you ghost readers out there, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. It's kind of a pain in the butt, I know but just please, for me, review! Now that I've said that, on to Chapter 11… _

Chapter 11 – Worry

_Back to Kevin's POV_

Kevin sat in a chair, slouched, his clothes rumpled and his hair a mess, reliving the look on Jeanne's face as she had looked at him in terror over and over again. He was angry. No, beyond that, he was murderous. He wanted to kill the people that had hurt her, made her afraid, so badly that his body rocked with tremors.

Seeing those scars on her neck…watching her run from the room, away from him…watching her crawl into a corner, too terrified to even look at him. Too terrified, of him. That was what bit him the deepest. She was afraid of _him. _He, who felt physically ill, at the thought of hurting her. But how, how, did he prove to her that he wouldn't hurt her? She still seemed to think that no matter what, he would hurt her, kill her even. Kevin was beginning to understand why though now.

He was just beginning to realize how fragile, broken, she really was. She was scared – on the inside as well as on the outside. He was willing to bet that the bite marks weren't the only physical scars she had from her time in captivity, as a slave. The thought made him shake harder so he tried to think of something else.

He was sitting outside the nurses office, while the doctor, a human one, he had made sure, gave Jeanne an evaluation. The silver cord that connected him to her gave a tug, and he knew she was awake now, but he didn't move. She didn't need him there, to make her freak out. She'd been through enough already today. He wanted to go inside though. He wanted to go inside and comfort her but he knew he couldn't. She didn't want him that way. It stung a little, that fact.

Once he'd realized that she had been having a panic attack / flashback type thing he had half dragged her to Maggie's room, frantically trying to get a hold of Mary, the only human doctor that he knew of. She was aware of the Night world and it's happening so she would understand what was going on. She even had a soulmate – one of the first to discover hers. She would understand that Jeanne had been a slave and what had happened to her and wouldn't try to tell the authorities like other human doctors might.

Kevin had been panicked. Was she going to be okay? Was this normal for someone that had been through something as traumatic as she had? He had really started to freak out when her body went limp, carrying her in his arms as he sprinted through the halls.

He could hear low murmured voices inside Maggie's room, one of them panicked and confused, which he placed as Jeanne's. It was followed by a calmer, soothing voice. They continued to talk for about an hour, Kevin growing more impatient as the time wore on. He wanted to know if she was okay; couldn't Mary at least come out and tell him that?

He got up and started pacing, the shaking making it a little hard to walk in a straight line. The voices were still murmuring with each other but finally, blessedly, Mary came out, closing the door behind her quietly.

Her face was drawn, taunt, and she looked worried. She pulled Kevin down the hall to a few chairs that had been placed in the corner. She didn't speak.

"Well?" Kevin was impatient. "Is she going to be okay?"

Mary nodded. "She will be okay… eventually. She went through some traumatic things. It's taken it's toile on her mind. She's very frightened right now."

Kevin snorted. "I could have told you that." He was being an ass, and he knew it, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

Mary ignored his jibe.

"She should go into counseling, but she refuses. I think that eventually, she might talk to someone, but right now; she's not willing to open up. Nothing I do will make her open up and I'm not going to try to force it. Her mind has had enough trauma. She's strong you know. Very strong and very stubborn."

The corners of his lips twitched. "I'm beginning to figure that out. I've just barely met her, but…" he was suddenly desperate. "I can't let her go. I know she doesn't like me, and I know, for good reason, that's she's afraid of me, but I can't just step back. I need her. And if she would admit it to herself, she needs someone to talk to, someone that can help her heal. I want to do that."

Mary smiled sagely. "The ones we love make even the toughest of us poets, eh?"

Kevin nodded. "Yes."

"Well, I suppose you can go in and see her, although I wouldn't be surprised if she's gone back to sleep. I know you're anxious to see her."

He jumped up. "Yes."

"Go then."

Kevin jumped up and sprinted back down the hallway. He hesitated before the door to Maggie's room though, suddenly unsure. What if she did scream and rage at him, yelling for him to go away? He would go of course, but he didn't want to.

Slowly, he opened the door and peeked in. Maggie and Delos were in the corner, talking quietly, while Jeanne lay on the bed, her eyes closed.

He approached his friends, quietly, tiptoeing across the floor.

"How is she?"

Jeanne's eyes fluttered open. She gazed at him warily. He hesitated, but then went to kneel at the side of the bed she was laying on.

"Are you okay?" His voice was sincere and he could hear the worry in it.

"I've been better." She snorted. "Did you know that you have blood down your face?"

Kevin felt the contours of his face and then drew his hand away. It came back shiny with blood. "Oh. No, I didn't know that. I wonder how…" He paused, and blushed, eyeing her knuckles, which also had blood on them. "Well, you've got a good right hook."

She laughed weakly. "Yeah, I suppose. I suppose now I kinda owe you too, huh?"

"Well, if you want to consider me carrying you here and fetching a doctor, something worth owing, then I suppose so yes."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, that and punching you in the face, maybe breaking your nose, elbowing you in the ribs and any other form of damage I was able to inflict, yes I do suppose I owe you something other than an apology."

Her gaze dropped and she whispered, "I'm sorry. I could 't think…I couldn't make myself stop… I just…"

"It wasn't your fault. Sometimes stuff like that's just out of your control. It's okay," he ran a hand over his face, "I've had worse."

She nodded, but her eyes were still on the blankets.

"Besides, I know how you can pay me back already." He purposely made my voice cheerful.

Her eyes flashed up to my face, wary, and somewhat fierce.

"How?"

"Well, you can actually answer my questions about you, and not run away from me all the time. You can believe that I'm not going to kill you. You can be a little bit more open to the fact that I'm not like the vampires that held you captive. I don't take human blood."

Her eyes widened.

"You do? How is that even possible?"

"I do," he nodded and grinned at her, "I have no idea how it's possible though. I'm not a scientist, sorry."

He laughed and she smiled tentatively.

"I will not harm you, Jeanne." His voice was fierce and protective. "It makes me… hurt at just the thought."

She chose to ignore that.

"Okay… I'll think about this later. Right now I've got a splitting headache and I want to sleep. Can we put this conversation on hold?"

Kevin nodded. She probably was tired. She'd been through a lot today, and she hadn't looked like she'd slept very well last night. She turned onto her side away from me and within minutes her body had gone limp and she was breathing evenly.

He dragged a chair over to the bed and sat in it, stubbornly deciding to wait the night out for his soulmate.

_A/N: Okay, remember, I will not have internet or computer access after tomorrow until the 3__rd__ of July. So you guys can't get pissed off at me for not posting something in a week, k? As always, please review and save me trouble of getting disheartened and not writing. Thanks and see you guys in a week!!! ~Riverine _


	12. Agreements

_A/N: Before you guys get mad at me for not posting a new chapter as soon as I got back, know this: I got home at 2:30 a.m. on July 4 and have pretty much slept since then between some major babysitting. I also had my birthday and I had to go down to my grandparents house and visit with them. Top that off with my best friend moving and being gone for yet another week, and you get the reason I'm so late in posting this chapter. I apologize, but some things were more important than this. So don't get mad at me, okay? Alright, here's chapter 12…_

_Also, I noticed that on the last chapter that there were a couple times that I went back to first person, so I'm fixing those right now. Sorry, I was in a bit of a hurry!!! Back to Jeanne…_

Chapter 12 – Agreements

The following day, after sleeping almost 12 hours, she was allowed to go to her own room instead of having everything brought to her. Jeanne was scared. She had scared herself. Her mind, the place she had always trusted she would be able to retreat into, wasn't safe anymore. She couldn't hide from her past anymore. She still wanted too.

Jeanne lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling tiles once more, only this time she wasn't bored, she was apprehensive. She was supposed to be meeting Kevin for lunch so they could talk in an hour and she was still afraid. She refused to let herself relax.

There was a knock at the door and groaning, she got up to answer it.

It was Maggie.

She smiled brightly at Jeanne before inviting herself in and sitting herself at the desk chair across from her bed. Jeanne eyed her warily, not sure what she wanted.

Maggie smiled again. "So how close are you to going crazy yet?"

The question was so unexpected that she laughed, the first time in a few days.

"Well, let's put it this way," she said. "I wouldn't give me any sharp objects."

Her friend laughed. "I know what you mean. I still get nervous sometimes around Delos. He's so…" she struggled for a word. "I don't know how to describe it. But the thing about having a vampire soulmate," Jeanne stiffened as she said the word soulmate, but Maggie continued on. "Is that they're always going to be there for you. It physically hurts them to be apart from us, did you know that? It makes them hurt."

Jeanne shook her head thoughtfully. "No, I didn't know that," she murmured.

"That's why I'm here you know," Maggie said. "I'm here to tell you how lucky you are. Kevin is a great guy. If you would just give him a chance!"

She resisted the urge to hit her. "I don't have a soulmate." Her voice was icy.

Maggie sighed. "That's what I'm talking about. You don't even know him."

"I don't know if I want to," she whispered. "I'm broken Maggie. I'm broken and I don't know if I can heal. If he's my soulmate like you all seem to think, then why should I make him go through that with me? I don't even want to do that, so why should he?"

"Because he loves you." Maggie was fierce. "You don't even realize… He loves you and he's not going to let go, Jeanne. If you don't want him in your life than be prepared to put a fight up, cause' he's not going to let you go girl. He'll fight for you. He'll fight to be with you even if it's just as a friend."

She groaned. "I don't need this right now. Can we move on to a different subject, please? Like what the hell I'm going to wear?"

Maggie laughed, but her eyes were intense. "Okay. But just so you know, I'm not good at picking clothes out. You may remember that I have trouble wearing the same color socks."

Jeanne looked down at her socks. One was lime green and the other had purple and blue flowers on it.

"I never did say I would always match," Maggie pointed out.

She laughed.

It amazed her that while she was nervous and slightly apprehensive about spending time with Kevin, she was also able to worry about silly things like what she was going to wear.

Maggie appraised her from the bed as she tried on various outfits, with a slightly amused expression on her face. In the end though, she settled on jeans and a green top that complimented her skin tone. Nervously, she walked down to the foyer and sat down on a chair anxiously playing with her hair. She looked around the room, trying to find him, but trying to make it look like she wasn't looking.

Abruptly, he was sitting in the chair across from her, grinning wildly.

Jeanne jumped.

"Please, don't do that," she muttered, trying to make it look like it hadn't bothered her. He was dressed today in a black v-neck tee shirt and faded jeans.

His eyes were still amused, but he apologized. "Sorry, won't happen again." He watched her for a couple seconds more as she squirmed under his gaze and then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.

He proffered it, daring for her to look at it. Jeanne's curiosity won out and she gazed at the jewelry draped over his hand.

It was a cross, but it didn't look like a normal cross. On a normal cross, it would look like a t, with the overlapping piece higher at the top than at the bottom. On this cross, the overlapping piece was in the middle, making it equal. Celtic swirls decorate the ends of the silver cross, and it was strung on blue green beads that danced and sparkled with the light. In short, the cross was gorgeous.

"It's called an equal armed cross," Kevin explained, his eyes were watching her carefully, measuring her as she listened to him explain. "It's also known as The Peaceful Cross. I thought you might like it because I want things to be peaceful between us. I don't want you to be afraid of me. I want to be your friend."

Without realizing it, Jeanne reached out and stroked the cross absentmindedly.

"Pretty," she murmured still gazing at the cross. And it was. It was stunning.

"It's for you," he said and he dropped the cross into her hands.

"What? I can't take this. It's yours, you shouldn't give it to me…" Jeanne looked up into Kevin's eyes for the first time and what was there stopped her dead.

His gray-black eyes were fierce, protective and had an aura that was undeniably that of a warrior. At the same time though, they were kind, loving and there was a surprising fragility about them.

Jeanne blinked caught off guard. "I don't want…" she started to say feebly.

Kevin ignored her and said, "It's yours. Don't try to argue. This is one thing I insist upon. I think you could use some peace."

Jeanne gave up and put it on, where it rested in the crook between her collarbones.

She didn't seem to know what to do now. "So what next?"

His eyes crinkled, and the fierceness was pushed back some.

"Well, I ask you questions and you answer them. Then you get to ask me questions."

She was quiet for a moment, considering. She had to trust him, to let him know about her, but she didn't want to. Against herself, she found herself nodding. "Okay," she said.

Enthusiasm suddenly radiated out from Kevin. "Great. I'll ask the first question. How long have you played piano like that?"

Jeanne started playing with her hair again. "I'd taken lessons for all of my life." Her voice was wobbly as she remembered the lessons, the joy she'd had as she was able to do more and more. She hated that her voice was uneven. She tried to command herself to get back under control.

Kevin's soft voice emanating from his bowed head startled her. "I'm sorry."

Jeanne had a strange sense of déjà vu.

"Are you really? You barely even know me! I'm just another human, what do I matter right? Why are you sorry?"

His voice was unexpectedly angry and he snapped at her. "Stop that. I'm not like other vampires. I'm not like the ones that hurt you, and kept you. I won't hurt you. I don't even take human blood! Stop treating me like you don't even care! I said I was sorry because I am sorry. I love music. I never had the opportunity to do something like that, and it makes me sad that someone that plays so beautifully, had that opportunity taken away from her."

She was shocked. He was right. It wasn't fair to him, when he was trying to hard, to be cruel and rude like this. She had to try. But she was distracted from those thoughts for a moment. The conversation was eerily similar to the one they'd had the day after the music showdown.

"How is that even possible?" her voice was quiet, questioning with awe in it.

"How is what possible?"

"How can you survive if you don't take human blood?"

"Animals. It's the same principal really. Just from a different source."

She shook her head trying to clear the images that were suddenly rushing through her mind. "Oh." Her voice was soft.

"Oh, what? He's really not as much of a monster as I thought he was? Be honest, that's what you were thinking, wasn't it?"

Jeanne shook her head. "No, I just didn't even think about that possibility. I should have guessed I suppose. But it just hadn't occurred to me."

Kevin nodded emphatically. "Yup. Okay, moving on, your turn."

Jeanne tried to switch directions and focus on the task at hand.

"I'm not sure what to ask." She was stumped. It had been so long since she'd had a friend, someone to talk to, learn about. She had been good at this once, but that was so long ago…

"I'll make it easy on you," his voice was teasing. "Ask me where I learned how to play violin."

She smiled weakly at him. "Okay. Where did you learn to play violin?"

He grinned at her, flashing his teeth. His dark eyes danced.

"My grandfather. He started teaching me when I was about three. I loved it so much, that I continued to beg him for lessons so he kept teaching me. I played all through out middle and high school. Then I was… changed." His voice turned quiet, brooding.

I watched his face as his eyes remembered.

"How old were you?" My curiosity was getting the best of me.

"Eighteen. I had just celebrated my birthday."

He offered no more but I continued to probe. "How old are you now?"

Kevin looked up at me startled. "I'm well…" he trailed off and his face turned red. "I'm 73. I was born in 1936."

She raised her eyebrows. "Impressive." She tried not to laugh at his blush.

"Is it? Because it doesn't feel like all that long…" Kevin trailed off again and stared thoughtfully out the window.

Jeanne turned her eyes to see what had caught his attention and found herself looking at the same courtyard he had tackled her in.

It brought her attention back to what she had overheard him saying to Delos that night.

"Why didn't you tell Delos about me?" Her voice was inquisitive, seemingly innocent.

"I'm sorry?"

"That night. The night that I eavesdropped on you and Delos, you said that you couldn't tell him who I was, why is that?"

Kevin's face turned dark, shadowed. His eyes were cloudy, apprehensive and they hid something, something that Jeanne would find out eventually.

"I'd rather not tell you. I can't really. It's not safe for you."

Her voice was level, measured. "That's too bad. Because you're going to have to tell me."

"No, I will not. This is one thing that I won't tell you. It's not safe for you."

"Since when did you start deciding what I could and couldn't do? You're not my father!"

"I started deciding the day I became your soulmate." She could hear his annoyance.

"Not again! Not the same shit as before! I am NOT your soulmate, and I don't know why everyone insists that I am! I am my own person and I will not be tied to someone else!"

She jumped up. "If we're going to be friends, then you have to be honest with me. This is something I have the right to know, and you damn well better tell me!"

He hung his head in his hands. "How about this," his voice was muffled. "I'll tell you but not right now. I need more time. It's not safe yet."

She snorted. "And what guarantee do I have that you would fulfill your promise? For all I know you could just be placating me!"

"I'll give you my word. As a vampire, I can't break it. I will tell you what you wish to know, but not today."

She glared at him suspiciously. His face was exasperatingly sincere. "Fine."

"Fantastic. Can we move on to something else now? What else do you want know about me?"

Jeanne wanted to ignore the obvious change in conversation, but she didn't. She was exhausted. Arguing, well fighting really, with him always made her tired. It hurt her inside.

Over the next few hours she learned a lot about Kevin. His likes and dislikes, as well as the things that made him, him. It was interesting the way a vampire and a human could interact when they both tried to get along.

Everything was going great. Until a bloody werewolf walked in the doors.

_A/: I apologize, again, for not getting this one up sooner. Things in my life just kinda took over and I didn't have the time or drive to get it finished. I am so sorry. You of course have the right to be mad at me, but I hope that the cliff hanger will keep you coming back for more. The next chapter will be interesting I can tell you that. ____ I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can, but no promises. Please forgive me and review…. ____ ~Riverine_


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